We have been hiking through some gorgeous parts of Oregon. The Columbia River Gorge has endless hikes and the greenery makes it all feel like a rain forest. I still can’t believe how much water is out here.

We have seen waterfalls galore. Sonya will be posting on some of our many adventures and hikes.

We have also spent some great times with yet some more college friends we have not see in aeons. It is so nice to pick up where we left off, only with our kids getting to experience our awesome friends. I am so proud of the Rochester alumni and how they are going after their dreams in life. It’s a great example to our kids as they see all of our college friends on this trip and what they are like. They did hard things and continue to pursue excellence.

That topic continually comes up. I have a hard time understanding people that lack confidence. It seems like something to hone in on and make happen. Otherwise, you live a life of desperation. That’s no fun. You don’t have much time on this earth. And your good days of health and agility are not always going to be there.

So, doing things to build up your belief system is a core critical thing. It can’t take a backburner. And one thing that I find is important for my belief system is to always be doing hard things. I talk about it with my kids a lot. If they always look for the easy path or going with the crowd, it does very little to build confidence.

When they know they can face hard things and do them, they gain confidence. But that means making a choice.

They are making those choices when they introduce themselves to new kids. They push themselves with nature’s obstacles and challenges on mountaintops, big jumps and freezing rivers. They give them confidence because they tested themselves and faced their fears. I see each one of them discovering new limits for themselves and it’s absolutely wonderful to watch.

Ultimately, they gain more freedom in their hearts. The experiences are great catalysts for increasing their freedom. They don’t have to be scared like so many people are. They can be free from it. They can be sure of themselves as well as know their limitations.

I do think gaining more confidence is simple. Ultimately, it is a habit of choosing. Choose one time to do something hard. Then do another hard thing. Repeat it again and again.

We are still exploring and finding new adventures. It’s so fun and the fact that there is no routine makes it a natural confrontation every day.

I’m so proud of how they are changing and becoming fully engaged, fully alive people. Yes, freedom of location is lots of fun. But watching a heart get more free is even more delightful.